JuliaTarnow

5/12/14
Ms.Morin
FinalAWproject
ChangeWillStaytheSame
Changeissomethingthatisinevitable.Itistheonlythinginlifewecanrelyonbecausepeople
comeandgo,homescomeandgo,prettymucheverythinginlifewillcomeandgobuttheonlythingthat
wontischange.Thisiswhytheonlyconstantthinginlifeischange.Thiseternaltruthhasalot
importancebecauseitissomethingthatcannotbearguedbecausechangewillneverstopoccuring.The
universeiseverchanging,andseemstobetheonlythingintheuniversethatonecanrelyon.Thepiece
ofartworkfromtheMETthathelpsportraytheeternaltruththatchangeistheonlyconstantthinginlife
isTheStatueofBrahma,ShivaandVishnu.ThisisasmallstatueholdsthetrimurtifromHinduism.
Accordingtohindubeliefs,thetrimurtiarethethreemaingodsoftheuniverse.Hindubeliefshaveso
muchsymbolismandsignificanceineachstory,God,andritual.Whichdrawsalotofattentionto
anythingthatisderivedfromit.Hinduartisaestheticallymarvelousandalsobringspeopletolovethe
artwork.Thestatueofthetrimurtirepresentsthecycleofcreation,preservationanddestructionwhichis
anideathatexemplifiesthiseternaltruthverywellthereforeaprimepieceofartworktofurtherlook
into.
Changehasbeenaroundsincethebeginningoftime.Nothingeverstayedthesameexceptthe
conceptofchange.Thedinosaursdied,butchangelivedon,primatesevolvedintohumans,stillchange
livedon.Changewasalwaysthereandstillistoday.Thisiswhytoalargeextent,theeternaltruththat
theonlyconstantthinginlifeischangeisalivetodayinthe21stcentury.
Changeisevidentinthe21stcenturyandbyfirstlookingbacktoseethatchangeexistedone
canprovethis.ThestatueofBrahmaShivaandVishnuexemplifiestheeternaltruththattheonlyconstant
thinginlifeischangebecauseitisrelevanttothehindureligion.TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt,a
worldrenownmuseumwhichholdsmuchoftheworldshistory,holdsmanypiecesofartwork.The
METsays,ThesmallstatueofBrahma,Shiva,andVishnuwasbelievedtobecreatedduringthe9th
centuryinnorthwestIndia,closetopresentdayPakistan.
1
Thisinformationgivesustheknowledge
thatthisstatueisonethatcomesfromtheHindureligionbecauseofthegeographyofthereligionatthe
timeandtheGodsonthestatue.ThisstatueholdstheGodsBrahma,ShivaandVishnu.BBCNews,
AtrustedsourcefromEnglandremarks,Hindusrecognisethreeprincipalgods:Brahma,whocreates
theuniverse,Vishnu,whopreservestheuniverseandShiva,whodestroystheuniverse.
2
Oneisable
totellthatthesearetheGodsonthestatuebecauseofthesymbolsthatareoneachofthethreegodson
thestatue.FirstonthefirststatueisaGodwiththreeheads.ThisisBrahmabecausehehasthreeheads
becausehecanseeall.OntherightofBrahmaisShiva.Shivacanbeidentifiedbythesnakearoundhis
neckwhichsymbolizespower,andtherivercomingfromhiscrown.NexttoShivaisVishnu.Vishnu
canberecognizedbecauseheholdsaconchshellwhichsymbolizesthemusicoflife.

Becauseofthe
dimensionsofthestatueareH.51/4in.(13.3cm)W.63/4in.(17.2cm)
3
oneisleadtomakethe
inferencethatthisstatutewasnotusedinaHindutemple.Inthe9thcenturytheGurjaraPratihara
dynasty,wasinpower.EncyclopediaBritannica,whichisarenownencyclopediawithinformation
gatheredaboutallhistorysays,ThePratiharaswerethemostimportantdynastyofmedievalnorthern
India,andtheirdisappearancemarkedastageinthepoliticaldeclinethataccompaniedtheMuslim
conquest.
4
ThisdescriptionofthePratiharasshowsthewealthofthedynasty.Sincethereisalotof
wealththerewerealotofaristocrats.Thisleadsustoinferthatbecauseoftheirwealththeyhadstatues
ofthedeitiesintheirhomesbecausetheyareabletoaffordthem. Bygoingthroughthehistoryof
thetimeperiodofthestatue,theeternaltruththattheonlyconstantthinginlifeischangecanbeshown
tobetruebecauseofthestatuesrelevancetoHinduism.
ToknowthatthisstatueofBrahma,ShivaandVishnuexemplifiestheeternaltruththattheonly
constantthinginlifeischange,thecontextofthetimearounditscreationisextremelyimportantin
knowingthatthisistrue.AccordingtotheMetropolitanMuseumofArt,ThestatueofBrahma,Shiva,
andVishnuwascreatedduring5001000BCE
5
,manydifferentempirescametopowerandleft.
In500550BCEtherulingpowercalledtheGuptaEmpirefellanddifferentkingdomsarose.
6
The
nextlargekingdomwasnotuntil606647BCE.Harshavardhanabuiltalargekingdomfromhisbase
atPunjab,eventuallyencompassingmostofnorthernandeasternIndiauntildefeatedbytheChalukyas
inMalwa(CentralIndia).Thisshowsthechangeofthetime.
7
Notuntil730BCEwasartprominent.
AtthistimetheKashmirDynastybroughttheideaofidolizingHinduGods.Thiswasthebeginningof
creatingstatuesoftheHinduidolsinNorthernIndia.Lastlyfromaboutthistimetoearly1,000BCEthe
GurjaraPratiharadynasty,tookpower.TheMETsays,ThePratiharaswerethemostimportant
dynastyof9thcenturynorthernIndia...Thislineisgenerallyconsideredthemoreimportantoneatits
peakofprosperityandpower
8
ThiswasamajorlywealthyandstrongperiodforNorthwesternIndia.

ThroughoutthistimeofchangetheHindusareabletoseethatchangeistheonlyconstantthing,history
takesitscourseasitalwaysdoes.Thestatueofthetrimurtiisareminderthatchangeistheonlyconstant
thinginlifebecauseofwhatBrahma,ShivaandVishnuallsymbolize,whichisthatlifeiseverchanging
andthereisaconstantcircleofrebirth,preservation,anddeath.
Aswellasthecontextofthestatue,knowingthebeliefsofHinduismandthemeaningofthe
statueisimportantinexemplifyingthattheeternaltruththattheonlyconstantthinginlifeischange
existed.ThestatueofBrahmaShivaandVishnufromhinduismexemplifiestheeternaltruththattheonly
constantthinginlifeischangebecauseofthemeaningofthetrimurtiandtheteachingsfromHinduism.In
manyreligionschangeissomethingthatmustbeaccepted.Inhinduismthisistruebecauseinthesecond
bookoftheRamayana,asacredtexttohindussays,"Lifeanddeath,joyandsorrow,gainandloss
Thesedualitiescannotbeavoided.Learntoacceptwhatyoucannotchange."
9
Thisquotationsaysthat
onecannotkeepchangefromhappeningbecauseitwill,soinordertobehappyonemustacceptthe
neverendingchangesinlife.HindusportraythisconceptofchangebythetrioofGodsiscalledthe
TrimurtiinHinduismBrahma,ShivaandVishnu.EncyclopediaBritannicasays,Eachgodisincharge
ofoneaspectofcreation,withBrahmaascreator,Vishnuaspreserver,andShivaasdestroyer.
10

Withthisquotation,oneisabletotellthattheHindusdobelievethatchangeistheonlyconstantthing
becausetheyareawarethatnothinglastforeverexceptthisconceptofchange.InanarticlefromThe
UniversityofAlberta,Canadastudyofeasternreligionssays,Brahmanisunchangingandunitary,the
materialworld,asweknowit,isconstantlychanging.Thisissamsra(flowingtogether,wandering):a
beliefinegoconsciousness,thebody,thematerialworld,perpetualdesire,thecycleofbirth,death,and
rebirth.
11
ThisquotationshowsthatHindusareabletoacceptthischangebyfocusingonBrahman,
whoisunchanging.ThetrimurtiispartofBrahman.Thereforetheverythingthetrimurtirepresents
whichischange,itunchanging.Thisstatueofthetrimurtirepresentstheeternaltruththattheonly
constantthinginlifeischange.
Inthe21stcentury,theeternaltruththatchangeistheonlyconstantthinginlifeistruebecauseit
canbeseenthroughmusic.Treasonthisistrueisbecausemanysongsareaboutchangebecauseitis
somethingthatalwayshappens.SpecificallythesongAllAtOncebyTheAirborneToxicEvent
12

portraysthattheeternaltruththatchangeistheonlyconstantthinginlifeisstillrelevanttothe21st
century.Thissongisaboutlifeitselfandhoweveryonechangesthroughitastheygrow.Inthebeginning
ofthesong,ittalksaboutbirth.Howatbirtheveryoneistimelessandnamelessandjustnewtothe
world.Thenastimegrew,everythingchangedandpeoplegrewolderthenstartedtofeelandlongfor
thingsthatbringpainto.Lifegotharderandtheinnocenceofachilddoesn'tstickbecauselifeis
constantlychangingwhetheritiswantedornot.Thenthesongspeaksaboutgrowingold.Hownow
youareanelderandyouarenolongerbeinglookedafterbyyourparents,theyaregone.Change
alwaystakesit'scourseandlifewillendforeverythingbutbeginforeverythingaswell.GabiPatricolaa
younghistorianfromthe21stcenturysays,Thesongshowsthatchangehappensanditalwayswill
happen.Itstheonlythinginlifethatsguaranteedtotakeplace
13
Thisquotationsaidbyayounggirl
fromthe21stcentury,especiallyrecentlyexperiencedalotofchange,explainstheeternaltruththat
changeistheonlyconstantthinginlifebecauseitshowsthatnothingcanbedeterminedexceptforthe
factthatlifechangesnomatterwhat.Thereisnothingthatcanmakethatdifferent.Theartistofthis
song,MikelJollett,whoisalsotheleadsingerofthebandAirborneToxicEvent,saidwhilespeaking
aboutchangeinthissong,Itisatheme,aninevitability,thatkeepsassertingitself.
14
Hisviewsonthis
songaresimilartothatofmine,thatnomatterwhatinlife,changewillkeepreappearing.Thiseternal
truthhasbeenaroundforthousandsofyearsandthissongfromthe21stcenturythereforeprovesthatit
isstillrelevanttoday.
Aswellasmusic,theeternaltruththatchangeistheonlyconstantthinginlifeisexemplifiedinthe
21stcenturythroughfilm.Changeisinmanyfilmsbecauseitissucharelevantthingtoeveryoneslife
becauseeveryonegoesthroughit.InTheNotebook
15
whichwasadaptedintoamoviefromthebook
writtenbytheauthorNicholasSparks,Onecanseethatchangeissomethingthateveryonewill
experienceintheirlivesanditistheonlythingthatwilleverbeconstant.Inthemovie,themain
characters,NoahandAllie,fallinlovebutlifetakesit'scourseandboththeirliveschange.Thischange
happensbecauseNoahistoldheisnotfitforAlliebyherparents,becauseheistoopoor.Alliegoes
ontobewithanothermanwhileNoahgoestowarthencomesbacktolivealone.Noah'sfatherwashis
bestfriendandinspirationandhediedwhichmadeabiggerchangeinhislife.Nothingwasthesame.
Althoughtheyendupfallinginloveagain,NoahandAlliehavechanged.Theirliveshadtakendifferent
coursesandneverwerewhattheywantedorexpectedittobe.CindyXiong,ayounghistorianfromthe
21stcenturyremarks,TheNotebookprovesthatchangewillbetheonlyconstantthinginlifebecause,
like,weknowthatthingswillneverbethesameandthatwhatsgoingonnowwontstaythisway
foreverjustlikeAllieandNoahdidntstaytogetherforeveranddidntstayteenagersforever.Inthe
movielikeNoahbecomesadepressedguywhowasnotasfunandyouthfulashewaswhenhefirst
metAllie.Thisshowslikeweallchangeandnothingwilleverstaythesame.
16
Thisquotesaidby
Xiongisanamazingexampleofhowthemovietrulydoesfurtherprovethattheeternaltruththatchange
istheonlyconstantthinginlifeisstillrelevanttothe21stcentury.XiongremarksthatNoahisnotyoung
anymoreandhasgrownandchangedintoadifferentpersonbut,thelovebetweenhimandAllieisstill
there,theirliveshavetakendifferentpaths,theyarenowdifferentpeoplebecauseofthewayeachof
theirlivesshifted.Thisshowsthatchangeistheonlythinginlifethatanyonecandependonandinthe
movie,itshowsthatasmuchasonewantstodependonlove,theycannotbecauseitwillchangeover
time.Everyonewillallchangenomatterwhatandthismovieshowsthatthisistrue.Anotherhistorian
fromthe21stcenturynamedOliviaCubbagealsoexclaimed,IthinkthatintheNotebookeveryone
canseethatchangeisreallyimportantandIguessyoucouldsayatestoflove.Causeiftheloveis
changingbutisstillthere,thenyouknowitsforreal.
17
Thisremarkshowsthatevenlovewillchange.
Peoplemaysayloveiseverlastingbutloveisconstantlychanging,andifyoucankeepstillbeinlove
afteritkeepschanging,itissomethingthatisextremelybeautiful.Therefore,Themovie,The
Notebook
18
isawonderfulfilmthatexemplifiestheeternaltruththattheonlyconstantthinginlifeis
change.
Thattheeternaltruththattheonlyconstantthinginlifeischangeisrelevantbylookingbackin
historyandlookingtotherecentyears.ThestatueofBrahma,ShivaandVishnu
19
exemplifiesthiseternaltruththroughitscontextwhichwasinatimewhereempireswerecomingand
going,andimportancetoHindusbecauseofwhatitrepresents,whichisthecycleofrebirth,
preservationanddestruction.Thiscycleisaconstantcycleofchangeandwiththis,thestatuehelpsone
toknowthatduringthetimewhenitwasmade,theeternaltruththatchangeistheonlyconstantthingin
life,wasbelieved.Byknowingthatthiseternaltruthdidexist,nowinthe21stcenturyitcanbeshown
thatthiseternaltruthisstillrelevant.Itcanbeseenthroughmusicandfilmsbecauseitissomethingthatis
knowntobetrue.Allinall,Toalargeextent,theeternaltruththatchangeistheonlyconstantthingin
life,isalive21stcentury

________________________

1
"TheMetropolitanMuseumofArtBrahma,ShivaandVishnu."TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt
Brahma,ShivaandVishnu.N.p.,n.d.Web.4May2014.
<http://metmuseum.com/Collections/searchthecollections/38984>.

2
BBC."HinduismBeliefs."BBCNews.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/beliefs/intro_1.shtml(accessedMay12,2014).

3
"TheMetropolitanMuseumofArtBrahma,ShivaandVishnu."TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt
Brahma,ShivaandVishnu.N.p.,n.d.Web.4May2014.
<http://metmuseum.com/Collections/searchthecollections/38984>.

4
EncyclopdiaBritannicaOnline,s.v."GurjaraPratiharadynasty,"accessedMay02,2014,
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/249669/GurjaraPratiharadynasty.

5
"TheMetropolitanMuseumofArtBrahma,ShivaandVishnu."TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt
Brahma,ShivaandVishnu.N.p.,n.d.Web.4May2014.
<http://metmuseum.com/Collections/searchthecollections/38984>.

6
"HeilbrunnTimelineofArtHistory."China,5001000A.D..N.p.,n.d.Web.4May2014.
<http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=06ion=ssn>.

7
EncyclopdiaBritannicaOnline,s.v."GurjaraPratiharadynasty,"accessedMay02,2014,
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/249669/GurjaraPratiharadynasty.

8"
"TheMetropolitanMuseumofArtBrahma,ShivaandVishnu."TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt
Brahma,ShivaandVishnu.N.p.,n.d.Web.4May2014.
<http://metmuseum.com/Collections/searchthecollections/38984>.

9
Vaidya,ParashuramLakshman.TheAyodhyakanda:thesecondbookoftheValmikiRamayana
(thenationalepicofIndia).Baroda(Inde):OrientalInstitute,1962.Print.

10
EncyclopdiaBritannicaOnline,s.v."trimurti,"accessedMay12,2014,
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/605418/trimurti.

11
"Hinduism:Thetrimurti."UniversityofAlberta:Hinduism.
http://www.artsrn.ualberta.ca/sslemon/engl315/supporting.hinduism.pdf(accessedMay14,2012).

12
AllAtOnce.MP3.ProducedbyPeteMin,AirborneToxicEvent.LosAngeles,Calif.:Island
Records,2011.

13
Gabrielle,Patracuolla.Interviewbyauthor.Personalinterview.NewarkAcademy,May9,2014.

14
ABiographyofsorts|TheAirborneToxicEvent."ABiographyofsorts|TheAirborneToxicEvent.
http://www.theairbornetoxicevent.com/abiographyofsorts(accessedMay12,2014).

15
TheNotebook.DVD.DirectedbyJeremyLeven.Burbank,Calif.:NewLineHomeEntertainment,
2005.

16
Xiong,Cindy.Interviewbyauthor.Personalinterview.NewarkAcademy,May14,2014.

17
Cubbage,Olivia.Interviewbyauthor.Personalinterview.NewarkAcademy,May14,2014.

18
TheNotebook.DVD.DirectedbyJeremyLeven.Burbank,Calif.:NewLineHomeEntertainment,
2005.

19
"TheMetropolitanMuseumofArtBrahma,ShivaandVishnu."TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt
Brahma,ShivaandVishnu.N.p.,n.d.Web.4May2014.
<http://metmuseum.com/Collections/searchthecollections/38984>.

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